Snape's Little Classroom

Harley truly believed that Professor Snape was perfectly suited for the Provoker sequence of the Hunter Pathway.

His slow, drawling, and sarcastic voice made one feel as if a venomous snake were coiling around them, hissing with its tongue flicking out.

In short, it really made one want to punch him!

After berating Malfoy and deducting more points from Gryffindor, Professor Snape returned to the front row, satisfied, and continued to instruct Harley as if nothing had happened.

"Miss Harley, for this step, you might consider adding double the standard amount of powdered snake fangs."

As Harley continued her work, Professor Snape spoke up suddenly.

"But Professor Snape, that's not what the book says," Hermione questioned.

"That's right, Professor Snape. What you're saying is different from the recipe you wrote on the blackboard and the one in the textbook."

Harley held up the book in her hand and pointed to the steps written on it.

Upon hearing Hermione's words, Professor Snape's face darkened instinctively:

"Talking back to a professor, Gryffindor loses..."

Just then, Harley's voice rang out at the perfect moment.

"...loses one point! For having the courage to question and raise concerns, Gryffindor gains five points!"

Professor Snape's attitude did a complete one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn, and he then patiently explained to Harley, "This is an improved version of the recipe that I... that I developed on my own, and the results are better.

I think you should master this improved Potion recipe."

"But Professor," Harley continued to ask, "why does this happen?

Does adding more powdered snake fangs better activate the properties of a certain herb?

Or is it for some other reason?"

Professor Snape hesitated for a moment, then shook his head:

"Miss Harley, this belongs to advanced-level material, so I cannot explain it to you for now."

"But Professor Snape, I am truly very curious."

Harley stared into Professor Snape's eyes, putting on an expression that was a mix of pleading and grievance.

To enhance her influence over Professor Snape's will, Harley even blinked, utilizing the supernatural ability of a Witch.

Looking into Harley's watery, emerald-green eyes, Professor Snape surrendered almost immediately.

Professor Snape's lips did not move, but Harley felt his voice ring out in her ears:

"Harley, being studious and inquisitive is a good habit. Since you are taking the initiative to ask questions, I am, of course, very happy to resolve your doubts.

How about this: stay behind after class, and I will explain it to you privately.

However, there is a lot of content, so I am afraid I will have to assign you some tasks first.

You need to read more books before I can explain it to you.

Otherwise, you wouldn't understand even if you listened."

Harley nodded obediently: "Thank you for your guidance, Professor." This left Hermione looking at her in confusion: What did the professor guide her on?

Professor Snape nodded with satisfaction and was just about to say something when a series of sounds suddenly erupted from the back of the room.

"Hiss, hiss, hiss~~ Boom!"

The back of the classroom first emitted a loud hissing sound, which then turned into a violent explosion.

Harley and Professor Snape turned their heads at the same time, greeted by thick, green acidic smoke and potions flying everywhere.

Professor Snape's eyes narrowed; he instinctively stepped in front of Harley before reaching for his wand.

But Harley was one step faster than Professor Snape.

Harley simply raised her left hand and clenched it gently; the temperature in the classroom plummeted, and the flying potions turned into eerie Frost.

When all the Frost had fallen to the ground, Harley clapped her hands. The Frost dissipated, and the temperature in the classroom rose rapidly, though not by much.

Although Harley reacted very quickly, quite a few students near Neville and Seamus were still affected.

Several students had red, swollen boils all over their arms and legs, wailing in pain.

Professor Snape also reacted, pointing his wand at the potion in Harley's cauldron, and the potion cooled down rapidly.

Then, the potion flew into the air and showered down onto the affected students.

"Well done, Miss Harley! For protecting your classmates, Gryffindor gains ten points."

Professor Snape said loudly, then turned to look at Neville and Seamus, his kind expression turning stern, "If I'm not mistaken, you likely didn't take the cauldron off the fire before adding the porcupine quills, did you?"

Anger seemed to be burning in the professor's eyes:

"But I cannot understand what kind of operation could cause a cauldron to explode so violently.

Are you idiots? I wrote every step clearly on the blackboard, yet you still managed to come up with unknown operations and commit brand-new mistakes?"

I couldn't even make this potion explode if I closed my eyes!

Twenty points from Gryffindor! Any injured students, head to the hospital wing again!"

After Snape collected everyone's work, the class finally ended. Many students scrambled out of the Potions classroom as fast as they could.

Everyone had finally fully experienced Professor Snape's talent for finding creative ways to deduct points from Gryffindor.

Although Harley had earned a total of fifty-five points for Gryffindor, the house's final total had actually decreased by five points.

Moreover, Harley had a feeling that Professor Snape was picking on the other Gryffindors.

However, according to the principles of a witch, if it didn't concern her and she had no interest in it, she naturally wouldn't bother getting involved.

Harley slowly packed up her cauldron and ingredients, occasionally tucking the strands of hair that blocked her vision behind her ears.

Professor Snape appeared to be carefully evaluating the potions submitted by the students, but the corner of his eye kept darting around.

Finally, the classroom was empty. Hermione had also been sent away by Harley under the excuse that she had questions about the lesson and wanted to stay behind to ask for guidance.

"Professor!" Harley looked at the now-empty classroom and called out crisply, "Could you tell me which books I should read in advance?"

By this time, Professor Snape had already set down the student work in his hands, and the classroom door had closed at some point.

Professor Snape tossed his hair and rapped sharply on the blackboard, causing a long list of book titles to appear:

Detailed Explanation of Herb Properties, Magical Potions, Jin Kui Yao Lue...

Professor Snape pointed to these books:

"These all belong to the more fundamental parts, explaining the properties of those herbs.

Especially that Jin Kui Yao Lue; the original work is in an ancient Eastern language and written entirely by Muggles, yet it offers great inspiration even to wizards!

Finish reading these books as soon as possible, and only then will I provide you with a brief explanation!"

Harley walked out of the classroom, satisfied, clutching the long book list.

She certainly wasn't interested in that potion for curing boils, but rather in the principles of herb properties.

As long as she mastered knowledge in this area, the hope of recreating the potions from the Sequence Pathway world would increase by one more step!

Harley decided to go to the library to borrow some books before heading to see Hagrid in the afternoon.

Anyway, Professor Snape had given Harley a signature, so she could borrow several extra books at once.